Chiefs report card vs. Cowboys

When the quarterback is your leading rusher, that’s not always a good sign, but the Chiefs ran it best when they had to, in the final 4 minutes.

Grade: C+Passing offense

Most everything was short stuff, but Alex Smith was efficient as usual, and most importantly, he has yet to turn the ball over this season. What a change from Matt Cassel.

GRADE: B-Rushing defense

Dontari Poe, Mike DeVito and Tyson Jackson stuffed the line of scrimmage, and the linebackers cleaned up, holding the Cowboys to a 2.3 yard average.

GRADE: APassing defense

Brandon Flowers had his hands full with Dez Bryant, but the Chiefs contained Jason Witten and Miles Austin and kept Romo under fire and allowed just one TD pass.

GRADE: BSpecial teams

Dustin Colquitt was phenomenal with five of seven punts inside the 20, but a blocked field goal attempt, a near-costly penalty downing one of Colquitt’s punts at the 2; and a nearly disastrous bobble by Knile Davis on a kickoff return pulls this grade down.

GRADE: C-Coaching

Except for keeping single coverage on Bryant throughout the game, and using Davis on a critical kickoff return, Reid kept his team focused through adversity. His familiarity with the Cowboys paid off. Imagine how that may pay off this week at Philadelphia.

GRADE: B

Player of the Game

QB Alex Smith ran for 57 yards and passed for 223 more with two touchdowns and no interceptions.

Reason to Hope

The Chiefs’ two victories already match their total of all of last season. The last time they started 2-0 was 2010 when they won the AFC West.

Reason to Mope

The Chiefs need to do a better job of converting turnovers. They got only 3 points out of two takeaways that were both in Dallas territory.

Looking ahead

The Chiefs will travel to Philadelphia on Thursday night for a prime-time game against the Eagles, in the much-anticipated return of Andy Reid to the city where he served as head coach for 14 years.

Key plays

First quarter

Key play: Cowboys WR Dez Bryant’s diving 38-yard reception to the Chiefs’ 6 that set up Dallas’ second score of the quarter, a 2-yard TD catch by Bryant.